Why I Sleep Under the Stars — The Great Tommy Sleepout

I’m Paul. I’m a wild camping enthusiast, a mental health advocate, and someone who has learned that sometimes, stepping away from the noise of everyday life can be one of the most powerful things we can do.

What started for me as simple escapes into the woods gradually became something much more meaningful.

There is something about sitting around a campfire, watching the daylight disappear between the trees, listening to the wind moving through the woodland and looking up at a sky full of stars that puts things into perspective.

Out there, there are no expectations.

No emails.

No deadlines.

No pressure to pretend that everything is okay.

Nature doesn't judge.

It doesn't care about your job, your achievements, your mistakes or the things you're carrying around in your head. The wilderness accepts us exactly as we are — broken, healing, struggling, or somewhere in between.

For me, wild camping has become much more than a hobby. It has become a form of therapy and self-discovery.

My adventures with Luci the Land Rover have taken me to some incredible places, but the real journey has often been the one happening inside my own head.

That's one of the reasons the Great Tommy Sleepout means so much to me.

Spending a night outside might sound simple, but it represents something much bigger.

It's about remembering that none of us are alone.

It's about opening conversations around mental health.

It's about recognising the people who may be struggling silently.

And it's about supporting those who have served our country and may need someone to stand beside them when things become difficult.

The Great Tommy Sleepout gives us an opportunity to step outside our comfort zones, spend a night under the stars and, importantly, raise money to support veterans who are experiencing homelessness or struggling with their mental health.

I've taken part because I believe in the cause — but also because I know personally how powerful getting outside, slowing down and reconnecting with ourselves can be.

I don't pretend that a night in the woods can fix everything.

It can't.

Mental health isn't something that can simply be solved by putting on a pair of boots and walking into the forest.

Sometimes we need professional help. Sometimes we need medication. Sometimes we need a friend to sit beside us. Sometimes we need someone to simply listen.

And sometimes, we just need permission to admit that we're not okay.

That's why my message has always been:

#ItsOkayNotToBeOkay

It's more than a tagline.

It's permission to be human.

Permission to struggle.

Permission to ask for help.

Permission to put your hand up and say, "I'm not doing so well."

And perhaps most importantly, permission to understand that struggling doesn't make you weak.

So, this year, I'll be heading back into the woodland, putting up my tent, making a brew, watching the sun go down and spending the night under the stars as part of the Great Tommy Sleepout.

I'll be doing it for the veterans who need support.

I'll be doing it for those who are struggling in silence.

And I'll be doing it because I genuinely believe that sometimes the first step towards feeling better is simply knowing that somebody cares.

If sharing my experiences, my adventures and my own journey encourages even one person to have a conversation they might otherwise have avoided, then it's worth it.

Because none of us should have to go through the difficult stuff alone.

Get outside. Slow down. Talk. Listen.

And remember:

#ItsOkayNotToBeOkay.